Why I’m Here (And Maybe Why You Are Too)

Somebody asked me today why I started this Substack.

The short answer? It’s a space where my thoughts flow.

But the longer answer? This is a platform where I reflect, provoke ideas, and hopefully spark conversations about the things that matter to me - and maybe, to you too.

I started thinking about that, and it led me to think about identity. Not the surface-level kind, but the deeper stuff - who I am, what I care about, and why I do what I do. And it’s taken me down an interesting path.

I started unpacking the things I’ve always gravitated toward: House Music, Community, Tribes. But also Football. Film. My not so secret WWE fandom. Storytelling. Transformation. Shared experience. The stuff that lights something up in you and makes you feel partof something bigger.

Football? It’s Culture, Not Sport

Football isn’t a hobby for many - it’s a deep, tribal connection. Loyalty, identity, place. You don’t like a football club; you belongto it. It’s cultural. It's community. And beneath the surface, I love the strategy. The media rights. The youth academies. The tactics. The global-to-local pull of it all. Not too dissimilar to the way I think about House communities and cultures.

Wrestling? It’s Never Been Just Entertainment

For many, the WWE is a joke. But for me, it’s never just been about the spectacle. It’s storytelling in motion. It’s athleticism. It’s Sports Entertainment. It’s transformation - someone becoming something greater than themselves through sheer grit and self-belief. I’m drawn to the underdog, to the emotional stakes, and to the alchemy of business meets showmanship. It’s not so different from life on stage, or behind the decks, or building a brand people believe in.

Then there’s the booking element. Guess what? The hot-ticket-selling Wrestlers, those that the fans really want to see are the ones that get the reaction and sell the tickets. They are the headliners.

TV and Film? We Grow Up With Them

From a young age, I’ve been drawn to visual storytelling - how a scene, a score, or a line of dialogue can shift your whole mood. That emotional power is what I’ve always tried to channel in music, marketing, and building Defected 2.0. You shape culture by knowing how to feel it first.

And when I step back, all of this tells me something loud and clear:

I’m here to continue and build legacy, and believe it or not, since my Brother died in 2008, I’m not here just to make money.

I want to operate in spaces where people are emotionally invested. Where stakes are high because people care. Where purpose meets possibility.

I’m also at a moment where I’m asking bigger questions - not just what’s next, but who’s next. What’s the next version? What’s the next thing I can help shape that might live beyond us all?

Because here’s the truth: I don’t need more experience. I need access. And intention. That’s where the next evolution begins.